30 Days of Books - Day 7
Aug. 10th, 2010 03:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
perzephone
Day 07 – Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
I piss and moan about Deus ex Machina (for anyone who isn't sure, this means 'God from the machine'. It started in Greek dramas, when the hero was in a completely unsolvable situation. A chariot or some other machine would be brought out on stage and a God (or Gods) would sweep the hero out of harm's way. In modern literature, it can be as simple as an uninvolved person interrupting an evil mastermind to, uh, the flu. I'm going to continue to bitch about it because it's a cop-out, just not right now.
Another one that gets to me is when the book ends just like it begins. Stephen King, I'm looking in your direction. You seriously pissed me off. Not quite enough to stop reading your books, but damn. 20 years and you give me that crap? What the fuck, man? You're still writing books, so obviously your idea supply has not run completely dry. In a way, it's worse than 'it was all a dream', or someone seeing the future and then coming out of their trance to see nothing has changed and everything's a-ok again. Even an ending where the main character dies a noble death is better than what you did to your Constant Readers. Did our ill-fated hero truly deserve that?
Day 08 – A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 – Best scene ever
Day 10 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 – A book that disappointed you
Day 12 – A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 – Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 – Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 – Your “comfort” book
Day 16 – Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 – Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 – Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 – Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 – Favorite kiss
Day 21 – Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 – Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 – Most annoying character ever
Day 24 – Best quote from a novel
Day 25 – Any five books from your “to be read” stack
Day 26 – OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 – If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 – First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 – Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 – What book are you reading right now?
I piss and moan about Deus ex Machina (for anyone who isn't sure, this means 'God from the machine'. It started in Greek dramas, when the hero was in a completely unsolvable situation. A chariot or some other machine would be brought out on stage and a God (or Gods) would sweep the hero out of harm's way. In modern literature, it can be as simple as an uninvolved person interrupting an evil mastermind to, uh, the flu. I'm going to continue to bitch about it because it's a cop-out, just not right now.
Another one that gets to me is when the book ends just like it begins. Stephen King, I'm looking in your direction. You seriously pissed me off. Not quite enough to stop reading your books, but damn. 20 years and you give me that crap? What the fuck, man? You're still writing books, so obviously your idea supply has not run completely dry. In a way, it's worse than 'it was all a dream', or someone seeing the future and then coming out of their trance to see nothing has changed and everything's a-ok again. Even an ending where the main character dies a noble death is better than what you did to your Constant Readers. Did our ill-fated hero truly deserve that?
Day 08 – A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 – Best scene ever
Day 10 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 – A book that disappointed you
Day 12 – A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 – Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 – Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 – Your “comfort” book
Day 16 – Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 – Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 – Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 – Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 – Favorite kiss
Day 21 – Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 – Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 – Most annoying character ever
Day 24 – Best quote from a novel
Day 25 – Any five books from your “to be read” stack
Day 26 – OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 – If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 – First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 – Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 – What book are you reading right now?
